AUGUSTA, Ga. – Losing the 2011 Masters was important for Rory McIlroy.

“I feel like it made me a better player,” he said. “I feel like it made me a better person.”

Winning the tournament would be historic.

The one that got away is now the one that stands between McIlroy and the Career Grand Slam. Only five players have accomplished that feat. He’ll take a fourth crack at it this week at Augusta National. It’s a course that seems so well-suited for him but has been the source of so much frustration.

The four-shot advantage he held here in 2011 was the only 54-hole lead he’s lost in a major. He did it in spectacular fashion, taking that detour to the cabins down the 10th hole and shooting 43 on the second nine.

High numbers have marred his other Masters, but they’ve come earlier in the week. He’s finished in the top 10 in each of the past four years, but also admits that he’s never started Sunday in serious contention.

McIlroy thinks he’s figured out why he’s struggled with high scores here.

Alister Mackenzie’s masterpiece commands respect, but he’s been too cautious on these stately Southern grounds. Some of McIlroy’s most famous wins – from his dominant performance at Congressional to those record-setting romps at Quail Hollow – have come when he has unsheathed his driver without abandon and used his soaring ball-flight to shoot at flags that others shy away from.

We got another taste of what McIlroy is capable of when he birdied five of the final six holes to sprint to victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. It was his third consecutive TOUR win where he shot 65 or better in the final round; his Sunday scoring average in his 13 stroke-play wins is 66.7. When he’s on, there may not be a better closer on the PGA TOUR.

McIlroy said he wants to bring some of that aggression to Augusta National.

“Sometimes I feel like I’ve given this golf course a little too much respect,” he said in Tuesday’s pre-tournament press conference. It’s easy to do. So much is made around here about missing approach shots in the proper location, but birdies still must be made to win.

“Jordan Spieth made 28 birdies around this place in 2015. Not every year is going to be as benign as 2015, but there’s scores out there,” McIlroy said. “I just have to keep reminding myself of that when a tournament starts.”

McIlroy’s greatest strength is one that this course, with its wide fairways and reachable par-5s, rewards handsomely. But he’s struggled to avoid trouble here, as evidenced by his seven rounds of 76 or higher here. He’s played nine Masters; he’s had such a high round in six of them.

That’s nearly as many scores as he’s shot in the 60s (8). McIlroy has signed for a score lower than 69 only three times.

Still, his 71.82 scoring average is the fourth-lowest in tournament history (among players who’ve played at least 25 rounds). It’s a nice piece of trivia, but means little in his ultimate pursuit.

“I come here with one goal, and that is to win the tournament,” McIlroy said. Here’s a closer look at McIlroy’s nine previous Masters appearances.

2017
Finish: T7
Scores: 72-73-71-69—285, -3
What happened: A rib injury may have slowed down McIlroy’s pre-Masters preparation, but he overcame a rough start to post his second-best finish at Augusta National.

For the second time since 2010, McIlroy completed the Masters without a round of 77 or higher. While his quest for the Career Grand Slam was extended another year, this was a promising development.

“The ups and downs that I’ve had here in the past don’t seem to be quite as up or quite as down,” he said. “It seems a little more steady and that can lead to a lot in the future, I hope.”

The Masters was just his fifth event of the year. He sat out seven weeks in January and February because of the injury, making his return at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.

He made bogey on three of his first eight holes at Augusta National en route to a 3-over 39 on the first nine. He salvaged a 72 thanks to three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the second nine.

He made four birdies the following day but also had five bogeys. He was 1 over par at the tournament’s halfway mark but just five shots back.

An early rally Saturday was stalled by a double-bogey on the par-4 seventh. Two birdies and no bogeys over the final 11 holes gave him a third-round 71 that left him six shots off the lead.

He made just one bogey in the final round, but his four birdies weren’t enough to catch Sergio Garcia. McIlroy finished six shots back. The T7 was his second-best finish in nine Masters, surpassed only by his fourth-place finish in 2015.

“I didn’t shoot any nine-hole scores that were in the 40s. It was quite a consistent, steady Masters for me,” he said.

Birdies: 15
Bogeys: 10
Double-bogeys: 1 (No. 7, Round 3)
Fairways hit: T51, 29 of 56
Greens hit: T30, 44 of 72
Putts: 116, T11

2016
Finish: T10
Scores: 70-71-77-71—289, +1
What happened: The disconcerting trend continued for McIlroy at the Masters. Halfway through the 2016 Masters, he was in prime position to capture the Career Grand Slam. He played alongside Jordan Spieth in Saturday’s last group. McIlroy was just one shot off the defending champion’s lead.

He shot 77, though, and didn’t make a birdie, falling five shots off the pace.

“I just didn’t play the golf I needed to when it really mattered,” McIlroy said. “That’s the thing that I take away not just from this week, but from previous Masters. I’ve been in position before and I haven’t got the job done when I needed to.”

McIlroy admitted that the pressure of his Grand Slam pursuit got to him.

“I’m trying to deal with the pressure of it and the thrill of the achievement if it were to happen,” he said. “I think that’s the thing that’s really holding me back.”

A final-round 71 left him six shots behind winner Danny Willett.

Eagles: 1 (No. 13, Round 1)
Birdies: 16
Bogeys: 15
Double-bogeys: 2 (No. 4, Round 2; No. 11, Round 3)

2015
Finish: Fourth
Scores: 71-71-68-66–276, -12
What happened: McIlroy missed out on his first attempt at the career Grand Slam, but for the second consecutive year he posted his best finish at Augusta National.

He was 3 over par and around the cut line after the tournament’s first 27 holes, but shot 5-under 31 on the second nine Friday to avoid an early exit. McIlroy was 15 under on his final 45 holes to finish fourth.

He was six shots behind winner Jordan Spieth, though. McIlroy was never in serious contention. He was seven shots back after the first round and 12 shots off the lead at the halfway point. He played alongside Tiger Woods in Sunday’s third-to-last group, though they started the final round 10 shots behind Spieth.

“I can take a lot of positives from it,” McIlroy said. “I did a lot of things I wanted to do well. I played the par 5s well. Just left myself too much to do after 27 holes of this golf tournament.”

Eagles: 2 (No. 13, Round 2; No. 2, Round 3)
Birdies: 18
Bogeys: 8
Double-bogeys: 1 (No. 9, Round 2)
Triple-bogeys: 0
Fairways hit: T8, 43 of 56
Greens hit: 4th, 53 of 72

2014
Finish: T8
Scores: 71-77-71-69–288, E
What happened: McIlroy may have lost to an amateur in the third round, but he still posted his best Masters finish and developed a relationship that could be crucial as he tries to complete the career Grand Slam.

He again couldn’t avoid a high round at Augusta National. It was the fourth consecutive year that he shot 77 or higher at the Masters. It happened in the second round this year, and he made the cut without a shot to spare.

As the first player to tee off in the third round, McIlroy was paired with Augusta National member Jeff Knox. Knox beat McIlroy, 70-71, in the third round. “I thought he was going to be nice and 3‑putt the last and we would have a halve, but he beat me by one,” McIlroy said.

After his Open Championship win, McIlroy said he intended to play practice rounds at Augusta National with Knox to get a better feel for the course’s famed putting surfaces.

“He’s the best I’ve ever seen on Augusta’s greens,” McIlroy said of Knox.

McIlroy started the final round in 24th place, eight shots off the lead. His final-round 69, which featured six birdies and three bogeys, was one of just five rounds in the 60s on Sunday.

McIlroy graded his tee-to-green play favorably for the week, but was upset about playing the par-5s in even par. He made bogey on both of Augusta National’s par-5s (Nos. 13 and 15) on the second nine on Sunday.

“It’s been a frustrating week, because I felt like from tee‑to‑green I played as good as the leaders,” McIlroy said. “I don’t think I’ve ever played as good tee‑to‑green around this course as I have this week.”

Eagles: 0
Birdies: 16
Bogeys: 12
Double-bogeys: 2 (No. 4, Round 2; No. 10, Round 2)
Triple-bogeys: 0
Fairways hit: T23, 38 of 56
Greens hit: T2, 52 of 72
Putts: 49th, 125

2013
Finish: T25
Scores: 72-70-79-69–290, +2
What happened: McIlroy struggled with his swing and new equipment early in the season, so much so that he added the Valero Texas Open, played the week preceding the Masters, to his schedule to get another tournament under his belt. He finished second there – beaten by Martin Laird’s final-round 63 – to give himself momentum before the Masters.

He got off to a good start at Augusta National, but a poor third round derailed him for the second consecutive year.

He was T13, four shots off the lead, at the halfway point in 2013.

Then he shot a 79 on Saturday. He was 1 under for the first six holes before making bogeys on Nos. 7 and 9. Then there were 7s at No. 11 (triple-bogey) and No. 15 (double-bogey) after hitting into the water on each hole.

“The margins are very small on this course and when you get on the wrong side of some of these slopes, you can’t help but get a penalty,” McIlroy said. “A couple of missed shots here and there and, but, I felt like I was done in on 11 and 15, but that’s the way it goes.”

He started the final round 12 shots off the lead, but made four birdies and just one bogey in the final round.

“I shot good enough scores around here, I just haven’t put them all together in four rounds,” McIlroy said. “So when I’m able to do that, I hope that I’ll go close.

“It’s just the way Augusta is, and I think you have to embrace it and accept that’s what it’s going to be like sometimes.”

Eagles: 1 (No. 8, Round 2)
Birdies: 13
Bogeys: 12
Double-bogeys: 1 (No. 15, Round 3)
Triple-bogeys: 1 (No. 11, Round 3)
Fairways hit: T16, 39 of 56
Greens hit: T23, 46 of 72
Putts: T27, 118

2012
Finish: T40
Scores: 71-69-77-76–293, +5
What happened: McIlroy was in third place, one shot off the lead, at the halfway mark, but fell apart on the weekend. He started the third round with a double-bogey, made another one at No. 7 and shot 6-over 42 on the first nine. His third-round 77 dropped him from third to 27th, 10 shots off the lead.

“Seems like every year I come here I throw a bad nine holes out there,” McIlroy said.

It got so bad that playing partner Sergio Garcia, who shot 75 in the third round, gave McIlroy a hug after each player made his first birdie of the day at No. 12.

“We needed to feel a little love from someone out there,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy needed to birdie two of his final four holes Sunday to salvage a 76. He finished 15 shots behind winner Bubba Watson after shooting 153 on the weekend.

“Just came out on Saturday and really just didn’t have it that front nine, and that sort of killed me for the rest of the tournament,” McIlroy said. “But I’ll come back next year and try my best again.”

Eagles: 0
Birdies: 16
Bogeys: 13
Double-bogeys: 4 (No. 1, Round 1; No. 1, Round 3; No. 7, Round 3; No. 11, Round 4)
Triple-bogeys: 0
Fairways hit: T50, 36 of 56
Greens hit: T24, 45 of 72
Putts: T41, 121

2011
Finish: T15
Scores: 65-69-70-80–284, -4
What happened: The 2011 Masters may have been one of the most important weeks of McIlroy’s career. His final-round collapse was heartbreaking, but it preceded his dominant win two months later at the U.S. Open.

“I was very honest with myself and I knew what I needed to do differently,” McIlroy said after his eight-shot win at Congressional. “I had a clear picture in my mind of what I needed to do and where my focus needed to be when I got myself in that position again.”

He started the final round of the 2011 Masters with a four-shot lead after making 15 birdies and just three bogeys over the first 54 holes. His lead was down to one shot after shooting 1-over 37 on the front nine, though.

Things really started to fall apart on the 10th hole. He pull-hooked his tee shot near the cabins left of the hole and needed five shots to reach the green. He three-putted No. 11 and four-putted from 20 feet at the par-3 12th. He was 6 over on Nos. 10-12 and played Augusta National’s second nine in 43.

“It’s going to be hard to take for a few days, but I’ll get over it,” he said.

He proved that at the U.S. Open, where he claimed his first major.

Eagles: 0
Birdies: 16
Bogeys: 7
Double-bogeys: 1 (No. 12, Round 4)
Triple-bogeys: 1 (No. 10, Round 4)
Fairways hit: T15, 40 of 56
Greens hit: T3, 54 of 72
Putts: T42, 124

2010
Finish: Missed cut
Scores: 74-77–151, +7
What happened: McIlroy made just two birdies – both in the first round – en route to his only missed cut at the Masters. He hadn’t finished better than 40th in four PGA TOUR stroke-play starts before Augusta National, including a missed cut at the previous week’s Shell Houston Open.

“I just didn’t play well and I need a bit of time to get it back on track,” McIlroy told the Belfast Telegraph. “I don’t know what is going on, I just need to take a bit of a break and come back with a refreshed attitude. I am getting frustrated very easily and getting down on myself. I just think that I need to go home and get my head sorted.”

McIlroy, who also arrived at Augusta National with a slight back injury, said after the second round that he was taking an extended break from the game, and was debating whether to return at the following month’s Wells Fargo Championship or take a longer hiatus.

“I might need a bit more time to let this injury clear up and clear my head,” he said.

He did return at Wells Fargo, and should be glad he did. He shot a final-round 62 there to claim his first TOUR title.

Eagles: 0
Birdies: 2
Bogeys: 7
Double-bogeys: 1 (No. 7, Round 2)
Triple-bogeys: 0
Fairways hit: NR, 20 of 28
Greens hit: NR, 20 of 36
Putts: NR, 61

2009
Finish: T20
Scores: 72-73-71-70–286, -2
What happened: McIlroy was 19 years old when he made his Masters debut. He won his first professional title, the Dubai Desert Classic, earlier in the year and was No. 17 in the Official World Golf Ranking. The Masters was his first major as a professional. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to be able to play in the Masters, and for that dream to finally come true is a pretty special feeling,” McIlroy said.

He moved into contention in the second round after making eagle at the par-5 13th to reach 4 under, but that was followed by a dramatic fall and a near-disqualification. He four-putted the par-3 16th for double-bogey, though, and made triple-bogey at the final hole after needing two shots to get out of a greenside bunker. Playing the final three holes in 5 over dropped McIlroy from sixth place to the cut line. He advanced to the weekend without a shot to spare.

After barely surviving the cut, he was spared disqualification later in the day.

McIlroy appeared to kick the sand after his first bunker shot at No. 18, which would constitute testing the surface of the hazard while his ball rested in it. The tournament’s rules committee met for four hours, and summoned McIlroy back to the course after 8 p.m., before releasing a statement that there was no infraction. He would have been disqualified had a penalty been assessed because he had already signed his card.

McIlroy made a late charge in the final round to move into the top 25. He made six birdies in his final 10 holes, including on Nos. 15-17, to shoot 70.

Eagles: 1 (No. 13, Round 2)
Birdies: 14
Bogeys: 7
Double-bogeys: 2 (No. 16, Round 2; No. 6, Round 4)
Triple-bogeys: 1 (No. 18, Round 2)
Fairways hit: T24, 41 of 56
Greens hit: T39, 43 of 72
Putts: T5, 110